KUCHING: An assistant superintendent of police (ASP), a police corporal and five businessmen were arrested today by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) for bribery involving illegal foreign workers here.

Sources revealed that the five businessmen who owned various companies and allegedly hired foreign workers without work permits and travel documents had paid off the police personnel, immigration officers and other enforcement units when raids were conducted at their premises.

The two policemen had allegedly been on the take over an undisclosed period of time, receiving payments from the businessmen for not taking action against them.

MACC officers nabbed the seven suspects aged between 25 and 59 at various locations here, Sibu and Miri between 11am and 2.45pm in an operation today.

In an separate case in Johor, a 29-year-old police lance corporal was also held today by the MACC for a similar offence of taking bribes from sawmills in Kluang.

MACC director of investigations Datuk Simi Abd Ghani said the operation was the second phase of an effort weed out such corrupt practises.

He said the operation was launched on Feb 23 and the MACC held 10 foreigners and a local man in the first phase.

“Two of them were charged today for offering a RM500 bribe to a immigration officer. The rest will be charged in the near future. We have information on such activities and court action will be taken on all parties involved including officers and personnel of enforcement agencies. The entry of illegal foreign workers is not only a threat to national security but also contributes to the rise in crime rates,” he said.